It’s Friday. That means it’s time to take the hard news and check out the latest lifestyle with Newsweek’s entertainment reporter Allison Samuels.

Hey, Alison.

Ms. Alison samuels (entertainment reporter, newsweek) : how are you?

COX: before we started talking about everything in Hollywood, I noticed everyone here, cameras and stuff, and by the way, you look great. You watched TV today.

Ms. Samuels: thank you.

COX: who are these people, what are they doing here with us?

Ms. Samuels: they’re from PBS. They’re doing a traditional series for black history month. And – part of it is about black Hollywood, so they surround me, around black Hollywood.

COX: ok. So if you hear, our audience, there are some bumps here, that’s because the camera is bumping into the microphone. We’ll try to make it as smooth as possible. All right. Talking about TV, next week, Whoopi Goldberg is on the point.

Ms. Samuels: yes, she’s like, well, everyone else is excited, but ubi looks okay, I’m just going to do my thing, that’s it. So I don’t know, I think it’s going to be interesting. I think, let more ethnic minorities to see this, I think this is perfect, because Whoopi is a kind of, you know, she attracted everyone, everyone, so I think, you know…

COX: before we continue our discussion of The second topic, and one more thing is about “The View”, that is: especially Whoopi in a chair, because you know, she can be really quick and easy to attack you.

Ms. Samuels: yes.

COX:… I was surprised that Danny DeVito had the guts to go back to the show and become their first guest after he and his last drunken event in the show.

Ms. Samuels: that’s the most interesting program I’ve ever seen on TV.

COX: that’s not funny.

Ms. Samuels: that’s interesting. I don’t think – I think Danny devito could have his own. I don’t think he’s afraid of hubby or any other woman. I think, you know, that’s his personality. He’s fine. Open it. I’ll have fun with Whoopi again. I think they are friends. I think they’ll be fine.

COX: well, it’s a good start, isn’t it?

Ms. Samuels: yes.

COX: ok. So let’s switch — let’s pause.

Ms. Samuel: HMM.

COX: ok. Because now we have to switch to something more serious.

Ms. Samuels: all right.

COX: John Singleton was in a very serious car accident in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, a pedestrian was killed.

Ms. Samuels: yes.

COX: but then he was cleared, because according to the police, he wasn’t speeding. It was her fault that he was not affected, for she was not in the crosswalk.

Ms. Samuels: yes. B: yes. It’s a sad situation, and it’s interesting. Friday, Thursday, I talked to John, no, actually it happened Thursday, I talked to him on Friday morning, and the woman was dead. He hit her, but he didn’t die. But he told me the ambulance took two hours to get there, and in fact, you know, pick her up.

COX: really?

Samuel Ms. : so I think, in part, because I think he felt this was partly because two hours – that is to say, you know, south central Los Angeles, was accused because of her death.

COX: that’s true.

Ms. Samuels: so that’s typical. But I think for John, he knows it’s unbelievable. You know, he has “illegal tendering” the movie came out, he was very excited, it completely changed the, you know, he has a feeling, because now, as you know, even it’s not his fault, his condolences. You’re still beating people. They’re dead.

So I think for John, it’s a particularly bad week for him, and that’s how it works. But the good thing is that he was cleared, because I think as an African American, I don’t know what the justice system would think of him. You see, lindsay lohan they say, oh, we look at your background, we’re not going to give you this harsh judgment, because you have a rough background. I don’t think they do this with African americans.

COX: well, that’s certainly not the case when something like this happens in Los Angeles, and that unfortunate incident happened where we live in the south-central part of the world…

COX:…… The paramedics went there, but the situation was bad and hope was good for him.

Ms. Samuels: of course.

COX: ok. Let’s talk about another bad situation, which is fine for anyone – Whitney and bobby. God.

Ms. Samuels: I hope it’s all over, but I think they’re just destined to love each other for the rest of their lives. They have a child, I think, you know, their love is such an interesting love. Every time I interview them, I know that there is a connection between them, just like ordinary people, they don’t understand, but they love each other. I don’t — I think the tabloids and all the media are really getting better at the end, but they really nod in some way. So I’m not surprised that they’re likely to be walking around in the next few years. I don’t think I want to see it, but I think it’s going to happen somehow.

For the latest regional advertising campaign for Carl’s Jr. And Hardee’s hamburger chain, there are other things that are very interesting. The AD, featuring two hilarious white rappers from music video, has helped to melt the chain’s new tunes. I don’t know if you’ve seen this.

Ms. Samuels: I do. I have.

COX: let’s listen. But first, I have to remind you, even though they’re talking about burgers, what you’re going to hear, this is a commercial, and at any point in prime time you’re going to run into this AD. The lyrics of the song may disgust some listeners.

(Carl’s Jr. And Hardee’s “I love flat bread.”)

Unidentified group :(singing) well, I like them really hot.

Unidentified man 1 :(singing) I like that they’re really flat.

Unidentified person # 2 :(singing) pick up the pickle (ph).

Unidentified man 1 :(singing) I like them, just like pancakes.

Unidentified man 2 :(singing) look at hiney (ph).

Unidentified man 1 (singing) is not popular. I gave you a call in anatomy class, you have a butt. Flattery makes the rear better.

Unidentified man # 2 :(singing) standing by, girl, you’re gone.

Unidentified group :(singing) flat buns. I like flat buns.

Unidentified person # 3: pie melting.

COX: I like flat buns. I saw it for the first time, because a person drew a picture of Williams on the blackboard.

Ms. Samuels: yes. That’s right.

COX: you know, when we see something like this, our hair stands up.

Ms. Samuels: yes.

COX: but it’s also interesting.

Ms. Samuels: yes, it’s not funny to me. I have to say it’s not funny to me, because it’s so – I just think it’s predatory culture, not very interesting stuff. You know, it’s – hip hop is African-American culture. And I think in many ways it’s a way to minimize the importance of hip-hop and laugh at it. I’ve seen in years – how much of the movie, how much, you know, the film had already made fun of some white hip-hop music, and try to do this, but this is a very important part of the history of African americans, making a lot of money for everyone. So I’m just fascinated by why it has to be chosen by the mainstream to make fun of it. And, you know, it’s cute, it’s rhyme (ph) or anything, but I’m not ‘

COX: that’s a bad taste.

Ms. Samuel: I think so.

COX: but it’s smart, you say? Even if we don’t like it, even if you don’t like it, you might say it’s smart, or don’t you think it should be in the air?

Ms. Samuels: I mean, it certainly makes you look up. I mean, I remember I didn’t watch TV. And then I heard, I was like this, I looked at it, I was like, okay, but when I saw serena, I was still angry, I was angry. I know, you know.

COX: now this part is a little bit trendy.

Ms. Samuels: yes.

COX: there’s no question about it, but I’ve been thinking about mix-a-lot and “Baby Got Back.”

Ms. Samuels: of course, yes.

COX:… All of this, you know?

Ms. Samuels: all of this is in retrospect. And I just think that rap and hip-hop are being transferred to the mainstream, just like you can’t even take it seriously, and now we have enough of it. I don’t think we need the mainstream.

COX: well, you have a little. I didn’t even like Patty melting, so let’s move on.

COX: Allison, thank you very much for joining us. We are very grateful.

Ms. Samuels: thank you.

COX: Allison Samuels is an entertainment reporter for Newsweek magazine. She joins me with NPR’s western film company in joining me.